Latch construction



March 7, 1950 A N, DEDR|CK5` 2,499,818

LATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 14, 1947 INVENToR.

* JWM/f2 yad/M5 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 ,naar

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE LATCH CONSTRUCTION Alvin N. Dedricks, Manitowod yWis., assigner 'to Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc,

"Wis.

.fApplicationprillL 1947, Serial No. 741,159

employed which is yielding and which aids in `conjunction with the catch in the final closing of the lcabinet door and which also issomade that there is nofdanger of'zcrystallization ofthe spring.

Further objects are to provide a construction which `is easy to apply 'to cabinets, which is inexapensive to manufacture, and which is neat in appearance.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of the hinged portion of the cabinet showing the door in open position.

Figure `2 is a sectional view looking down and showing the door in closed position, such view being broken away.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail corresponding to Figure 2 showing the door open.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the door closed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View at right angles to that of Figure fl.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the body of the cabinet is indicated by the reference character I and the door by the reference character 2. The cabinet chosen for illustration is a metal kitchen cabinet, though, of course any other type of Acabinet could be used. The door 2 is hinged to the body portion I by means of an upper and a lower hinge plate 3, the lower hinge plate being shown. An upper and a lower bracket t and 5 are secured Within the door 2 as shown most clearly in Figure 4 and a pintle pin 6 extends through such brackets and through the hinge plate 3, thereby providing the hinge point for the door.

The inner wall of the door 2 is slotted as indicated at 'I in Figure 1 and the hinge plate has its end projecting through the slot into the door, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. The hinge plate is secured to the body portion in any suitable manner, for example, as by means of a bolt 8 and a relatively long bolt 9. The relatively long bolt 9 has an enlarged cylindrical body portion ID r which forms with the reduced threaded portion l I a shoulder so that when the nut l2 is tightened the bolt or pin 9 is held tightly in place.

, A closely coiled spring I3 is revolubly mounted on the bolt 9 and is generally of barrel shape as.

Yshown ...most clearly in Figure 1.

It constitutes the strike which .coacts with the curved catch M when the door is kclosed as shown in Figures 2, .4, and 5. It will be noted that Athe catch Iki is a stamping and has Ya ,rounded or cylindrical -po- .tion which directly engages the spring or strike i3 as vshown in Figure 5, and pushes 'the spring or strike i3 sidewise, thereby deforming it to the .extent shown in Figure 5. Also the coactionbe- 'tween the barrelshaped spring i3 and the cylindrical portion of the catch It is such-as to draw the door inwardly in the iinal closing motion .and hold the hinged .door in closed position. The catch .I4 extends yth-rougha slot in the bracket or reinforcing .member -Eof the door and anotch in the lower edge of the slot 'l and is spot .welded or otherwise secured thereto las shown in Figure 3.

Itis .to be .noted particularly that in the opening and closing motion `of the door the spring strike .I3 is free to revolve on the bolt Vil, thus minimizingfriction, though in no way sacrificing the secure latching or holding action due to the coaction of the strike I3 and the catch It. Instead,

though friction is minimized, the snap action lor linal tendency to close the door is even more pronounced than it would be if there was a considerable amount of friction.

It isto be noted that in opening or closing the door the catch I4 does not slide on the spring strike I3 but instead the spring strike i3 rolls along the cylindrical catch III and rotates on the bolt 9.

It is to be noted that there is no necessity for a latch of any kind at the swinging or free end of the door and a very neat construction, therefore, results.

It is to be noted that there are a great many convolutions in the spring strike i3 and consequently there is a Very small amount of iiexing of any portion of the spring, thus guarding against crystallization.

Attention is called to the fact that, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the spring strike I3 is preferably mounted below an overhanging portion of the cabinet so that it is out of the way and is somewhat protected, though this is not absolutely necessary it nevertheless adds to the appearance of the construction. It is, of course, apparent that if desired the strike could be carried by the doo-r and the .catch could be carried by the body portion, though this is not the preferred construction.

As stated hereinabove, the coaction between the coiled spring strike and the catch is such as to urge the door towards closed position during 3 the nal closing motion of the door. These parts coact also to yieldingly hold the door closed so that the door may be pulled open against the yielding hold produced by the coaction of the strike and catch.

The spring strike has been described and shown as strictly barrel-shaped but although this is the preferred shape, it nevertheless could be shaped in any other generally cylindrical shape provided it was revolubly supported at its ends and had a portion thereof free to be deected laterally by the catch. The expression cylindrical is, therefore, intended to include a truly cylindrical shaped spring or a barrel-shaped spring or any other spring coiled and approximating a cylinder.

It is to be noted further in connection with the barrel-shaped spring strike that thisrmember is revolubly supported only at its ends and its intermediate portion is freely distortable or deflectable laterally by the catch when the door is closed. The rounded or curved portion of the catch engages an intermediate portion of the coiled spring strike and dei'lects or distorts this portion laterally as it passes by. It passes to the rear of the strike though still engaging it and thus coacting with the strike produces a force yieldingly holding the door closed.

It is to be noted also that the device is very simple and is cheap to construct.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously `embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

4 arranged to coact with the coiled spring strike to yieldingly hold the door closed and to produce a force tending to close the door during the nnal closing motion of the door.

2. In a cabinet having two main portions constituting a body portion and a hinged door, a latch construction for holding the door closed and for assisting in the nal closing motion of the door comprising a cylindrical coiled spring strike revolubly supported from one of said portions of said cabinet and a catch supported from the other of said portions and having a rounded aart arranged to engage the side of said spring strike when the door is closed to thereby revolve and laterally distort the spring strike and pass beyond the center line of said spring strike when said door is closed, said spring strike and said catch coacting to yieldingly hold the door closed.

8. In a cabinet having two main portions constituting a body portion and a door hinged adjacent one end, a latch construction mounted adjacent the hinged end of the door and comprising a barrel-shaped coiled spring strike revolubly supported adjacent its ends on a fixed member carried by one of said portions of said cabinet and a catch supported from the other of said portions and having a rounded part arranged to engage and laterally distort said coiled spring strike intermediate its ends when said door is closed, said strike and catch coacting to yieldingly hold said door closed.

ALVIN N. DEDRICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 373,034 Lusk Oct. 25, 1887 539,718 Beall May 21, 1895 553,868 Paxson Feb. 4, 1896 977,137 Sexton Nov. 29, 1910 987,894 Lee Mar. 28, 1911 

